ABIDJAN, August 9 (AFP) - After keeping observers guessing for months,it emerged Wednesday that Ivory Coast's military ruler is bidding to run for president -- as the candidate of the party he ousted in December's coup. General Robert Guei was among those who put themselves up for selection as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) according to party secretary general, Laurent Dona Fologo on Wednesday. The PDCI is set to choose its candidate for the September 17 presidential elections at its convention in the Ivorian capital Yamoussoukro on Saturday. Earlier Wednesday, as traditional chiefs came to ask him to run for the top job, the general replied that he would have to consult the junta: in fact, he had already informed the PDCI of his desire to stand the day before. But it is not certain that the party that held power from independence in 1960 until the coup, will choose Guei. The PDCI has a number of factions within it. Many members remain faithful to their ousted president, Henri Konan Bedie, who announced his candidacy on Saturday and was chosen by the overseas branch of the PDCI to be the presidential candidate. "We are not going to marry our mother (the party) to our father's killer," said Bedie's supporters. Fologo however, argued that the overseas convention backing Bedie was invalid. There are 10 other candidates vying for the party candidacy. When he came to power on December 24, after the previous day's mutiny, Guei said power did not interest him. "I have only come to put the Ivorian house in order," he said. The United States has warned Guei against any presidential ambitions. "We frankly believe it is not appropriate for General Guei to run for president," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. "Serious doubt would be cast on the fairness and legitimacy of the process if an individual who took power by military coup and then oversaw the elections were to turn out to be a victorious candidate," said Boucher. Charles Josselin, Cooperation Minister of the former colonial power France said recently: "Uniforms and democracy don't go well together." The ruling French Socialist Party's Africa spokesman, Guy Labertit, warned that if Guei were to be a candidate, it would be "dangerous" for the stability of Ivory Coast and for the whole African continent. Guei's supporters maintain he left the army in 1995 when he was accused by Bedie of attempting a coup. They compare him to General de Gaulle, who Guei is fond of quoting. Two of the other major parties have already appointed their presidential candidate: Laurent Gbagbo for the Ivorian Popular Front and Alassane Ouattara for the Rally of Republicans. ABIDJAN, August 9 (AFP) - After keeping observers guessing for months,it emerged Wednesday that Ivory Coast's military ruler is bidding to run for president -- as the candidate of the party he ousted in December's coup. General Robert Guei was among those who put themselves up for selection as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) according to party secretary general, Laurent Dona Fologo on Wednesday. The PDCI is set to choose its candidate for the September 17 presidential elections at its convention in the Ivorian capital Yamoussoukro on Saturday. Earlier Wednesday, as traditional chiefs came to ask him to run for the top job, the general replied that he would have to consult the junta: in fact, he had already informed the PDCI of his desire to stand the day before. But it is not certain that the party that held power from independence in 1960 until the coup, will choose Guei. The PDCI has a number of factions within it. Many members remain faithful to their ousted president, Henri Konan Bedie, who announced his candidacy on Saturday and was chosen by the overseas branch of the PDCI to be the presidential candidate. "We are not going to marry our mother (the party) to our father's killer," said Bedie's supporters. Fologo however, argued that the overseas convention backing Bedie was invalid. There are 10 other candidates vying for the party candidacy. When he came to power on December 24, after the previous day's mutiny, Guei said power did not interest him. "I have only come to put the Ivorian house in order," he said. The United States has warned Guei against any presidential ambitions. "We frankly believe it is not appropriate for General Guei to run for president," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. "Serious doubt would be cast on the fairness and legitimacy of the process if an individual who took power by military coup and then oversaw the elections were to turn out to be a victorious candidate," said Boucher. Charles Josselin, Cooperation Minister of the former colonial power France said recently: "Uniforms and democracy don't go well together." The ruling French Socialist Party's Africa spokesman, Guy Labertit, warned that if Guei were to be a candidate, it would be "dangerous" for the stability of Ivory Coast and for the whole African continent. Guei's supporters maintain he left the army in 1995 when he was accused by Bedie of attempting a coup. They compare him to General de Gaulle, who Guei is fond of quoting. Two of the other major parties have already appointed their presidential candidate: Laurent Gbagbo for the Ivorian Popular Front and Alassane Ouattara for the Rally of Republicans. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface ----------------------------------------------------------------------------